GoodTherapy | Psychopath vs. Sociopath

Psychopath vs. Sociopath: Two Varieties of Antisocial Personality

Many people use the terms “psychopath” and “sociopath” interchangeably. They are most often used about someone that is considered to be without a conscience. The societal definitions revolve around one’s approach to violence, anger, hatred, and emotionlessness. Both of these terms are bandied about on detective shows and true crime podcasts, but what do they actually mean? 

The truth is, there still aren’t hard and fast definitions for either term. Indeed, they are sometimes (though decreasingly) used interchangeably. This article explores what seem to be the most common understandings of psychopathy and sociopathy within the mental health field. 

First, We Must Understand Antisocial Personality 

It’s important to note from the outset that both psychopathy and sociopathy are controversial ideas in the world of psychology. Neither appears in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-V) as a diagnosis. However, it does mention that both “psychopath” and “sociopath” are terms used to describe people who are diagnosed with Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD). Dr. Donald W. Black describes ASPD as “defined by a pattern of socially irresponsible, exploitative, and guiltless behaviour. Symptoms include failure to conform to law, failure to sustain consistent employment, manipulation of others for personal gain, deception of others, and failure to develop stable interpersonal relationships.” Many consider psychopathy and sociopathy to be two different varieties of ASPD.  Consider ASPD the “big bucket” term, like pink, and psychopathy and sociopathy as smaller buckets, like fuchsia, rose, and pastel pink.

What Is a Psychopath?

A psychopath is someone with ASPD who behaves in an amoral and antisocial way, lacks the capacity to love others or establish meaningful relationships in their personal life, demonstrates a remarkably self-centered perspective (i.e., extreme egocentrism), and doesn’t learn lessons from experience. It’s believed that psychopathy is detectable through brain scans—in fact, there is a fascinating case about a brilliant neuroscientist who discovered he had the brain of a psychopath by accident. 

Characteristics of a Psychopath

What Is a Sociopath?

“Sociopath” describes someone with ASPD who has a pattern of antisocial behaviors and attitudes such as manipulation, deceit, aggression, and lack of empathy for others.

Characteristics of a Sociopath

Psychopath vs. Sociopath: Key Contrasts

Given that sociopathy and psychopathy are both subsets of Antisocial Personality Disorder, it’s unsurprising that there’s quite a bit of overlap between psychopaths and sociopaths. However, there are some key differences. 

ASPD and Violence

When most of us think about psychopaths and sociopaths, our first thought isn’t the high-powered executive or the brilliant doctor; it’s the serial killers of the world. The most common misconception about both psychopaths and sociopaths is that they are inherently violent. Many people with ASPD who might be described as psychopathic or sociopathic never harm others or act violently. Nevertheless, some of the most violent people in history did have ASPD.

Where Do Narcissists Fit in?

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is an entirely different diagnosis that is often confused by the general public with ASPD, especially with sociopathy. According to the DSM-V, narcissists have a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and self-importance; consider themselves special; take advantage of others; need admiration; lack empathy; and are obsessed with the fantasies of boundless power. While there is some overlap between ASPD and NPD, and an individual can be diagnosed with both, there are some fundamental differences between these diagnoses. 

Treatment and Outcomes

Personality disorders are not curable. However, there is a wide variety of outcomes for people with this diagnosis. Treating ASPD is difficult but valuable. People with ASPD can tend toward illegal or risky behavior, but many don’t take this path and have very successful professional lives. 

As with many other mental health concerns, ASPD is often accompanied by co-occurring disorders, such as depression and substance abuse. It’s important for the antisocial person to pursue treatment for any co-occurring disorders they may have. 

While there isn’t yet a “gold standard” treatment for those with ASPD, studies seem to indicate that psychotherapy (i.e., “talk therapy”) can yield behavioral results, particularly when it comes to criminal recidivism. Research is ongoing into the effectiveness of treating antisocial persons in a variety of ways. 

When You Know Someone Who May Have ASPD

Show Support

If you know someone who may have ASPD, remember that they may not be aware of it. Either way, it is important to show support if you’re part of their life. 

Keep Healthy Boundaries

Since people with ASPD are often prone to manipulation, it’s best for you and them if you establish boundaries in your relationship that will keep you both safe from toxicity. Remember that your character is about you—for example, if kindness is an important value to you, keep being kind, even if you can’t “be nice” all the time. Boundaries will help you be your best self in all your relationships, including (and maybe especially) this one. 

Encourage Them to Seek Treatment

The most important thing a person can do to help someone with ASPD is to encourage them to seek professional help. If you or someone you know might have ASPD, rest assured that there are mental health providers who have been trained to help. 

Room for Hope

Getting an Antisocial Personality diagnosis can be scary, but you can find support and help. Generalities—including diagnoses—can be helpful, but they can also feel like life sentences. Don’t let your diagnosis define you; it’s meant to be a tool to help you and others understand the way you’re wired. While the “typical” person with ASPD probably wouldn’t reach out for help, you don’t have to fit that mold. There is always hope for growth.

Click through to find a therapist in your area who can support you or a friend through personality disorder treatment.

References

Black, D. W. (2015). The natural history of antisocial personality disorder. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 60(7), 309-314. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500180

Robinson, K. M. (2014, August 24). Sociopath vs. psychopath: What’s the difference? Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/sociopath-psychopath-difference#1

Wilson, H. A. (2014, March 5). Can antisocial personality disorder be treated? A meta-analysis examining the effectiveness of treatment in reducing recidivism for individuals diagnosed with ASPD. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 13(1), 36-46. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14999013.2014.890682?journalCode=ufmh20

OCD vs OCPD

By Gary Trosclair, DMA, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Do you really have OCD? Or is it OCPD?

OCD has become a household term we casually use to refer to anyone who needs to have things a certain way. As a casual term, it works well. It gives us a general sense of what’s being described. But if it’s used as an actual diagnosis to determine therapeutic treatment, it can cause problems. People who we might casually say have OCD may actually have a different condition, and the differences between these conditions call for a different approach to treatment.  

OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, may look similar at first to a different condition, OCPD, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, which is often overlooked and even misdiagnosed by clinicians. But OCD is an anxiety disorder, while OCPD is a personality disorder.

Diagnostic Difficulties

Far fewer people have OCD than have OCPD: 1.2% of the population has OCD,[1] while as much as 7.9% has OCPD.[2]   

About 20% of the people who have OCD also have OCPD,[3] making it difficult to distinguish between the two. And both diagnoses can be either severe or less-debilitating. Many people have some traits of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder but do not meet the full diagnostic criteria. These individuals can be very productive and fairly well-adapted socially.

Proper diagnosis should be completed by a licensed mental health professional. But following are some fundamental differences that may help you to better understand yourself in either case.

Symptoms: Specific vs. Generalized

People with OCD have specific obsessions (thoughts that are intrusive, involuntary, repetitive, irrational, and anxiety-provoking) and specific ritualistic compulsions (repetitive behaviors they can’t stop, such as checking and washing). On the other hand, the entire personality of someone with OCPD is affected by an overwhelming need to prioritize control, perfectionism, and order.

While people with OCD may try to control very particular things in order to quiet their obsessions, people with OCPD tend to be controlling universally. It’s as if the space they need to control is much larger. It’s not just the cupboards, it’s their entire world, and they can become very rigid about it.

Emotional Differences

People with OCD are more likely to feel anxious when specific things aren’t the way they want them to be. People with OCPD are more likely to feel angry if things aren’t the way they believe they should be.  

For instance, Angie, who suffers from OCD, is concerned about how the dishes get washed because she feels anxious if they aren’t absolutely clean.

But Arthur, who suffers from OCPD, insists that the correct thing is to have the entire house in order all the time. People with OCPD may justify their efforts to control by trying to prove that their way is the right way. They feel that they are trying to do the right thing to make life better for everyone, and their efforts can be helpful. But in many cases, they may become rigid in their actions, and, contrary to their motivations, they can make things more difficult for others.

People with OCD don’t necessarily restrict their emotions. However, they do try to control their thoughts (which can range from mildly uncomfortable to very disturbing) by doing compulsive things, such as repetitive and ritualistic cleaning and checking. 

But people with OCPD often try to control their emotions as well as their environment. They’re known for delaying gratification. They often give priority to their work, neglecting relationships and their own wellbeing. The emotions they are most aware of are anger, frustration, and resentment. They are more reluctant to be vulnerable than those with OCD, and may not even be aware of any underlying anxiety.

Angie gets anxious if the top is off the toothpaste tube because she fears germs. Arthur gets angry because it’s wrong to leave it off.

Shame or Pride about Their Condition

People with OCD don’t like their obsessions and compulsions and willingly seek help.

People with full-blown OCPD, because they try so hard to live their lives according to moral principles, are very proud of the way they live and don’t understand that they have a disorder. They tend to seek help only when forced to do so by a partner or when they become so depressed from trying to live with such demanding standards that they can’t go on that way any longer.

Motivations

People who have OCD are motivated to stay safe and to prevent catastrophes. People with OCPD are more motivated by rules and perfectionism. While they may justify their control by pointing to possible catastrophes, their underlying motivation often has more to do with wanting to avoid chastisement, blame, or failing to fulfill their responsibilities.

People with OCD are more clearly motivated to relieve their anxiety. While people with OCPD may also have underlying anxiety or a fear of being abandoned, their conscious concern is that they want to be respected rather than criticized.  

Behavioral Differences

While people with OCD may often behave in an insecure way because of their obsessions and compulsions, people with OCPD may become domineering, trying to hide their insecurities from themselves and others.  

People who have OCD spend much of their time in compulsive rituals such as cleaning and organizing. People with OCPD spend more time planning and working.

OCD efforts are usually maladaptive, except insofar as it helps them to maintain good hygiene. In contrast, some OCPD traits can be adaptive in a practical way, allowing them to succeed in the outer world, even if it makes them very unhappy. Because they are very conscientious, meticulous, energetic, and committed, they can make significant contributions in many fields, from art to public service to accounting. Most successful performers and athletes are compulsive to some degree.

Differences Among Compulsive Personalities

There are wide variations in the degree of unhealthiness among people with compulsive personalities, based on how controlling, perfectionistic, and rigid they are. Some, who don’t technically have OCPD but only have some compulsive traits, have very few maladaptive symptoms and can be very helpful in planning, organizing, and getting things done.

And there are wide variations in the style of compulsive personality: some are domineering, some are workaholics, some are compulsive people-pleasers, and others are so obsessive about getting things just right that they can’t get anything done.

Treatment

There is significant research to demonstrate that targeting the specific symptoms of OCD, as short-term Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) does,[4] can be effective for treating OCD.

There is far less research regarding the treatment of OCPD. In fact, according to psychologist and researcher Anthony Pinto, “there is no empirically validated gold standard treatment for OCPD.”[5]

However, there is reason to believe that approaching OCPD treatment by targeting specific symptoms may not be as effective as it is for OCD because of the pervasive nature of personality disorders. OCPD may benefit from a longer course of treatment in psychodynamic or expressive therapy.[6] This approach can help the individual to understand the possible benefits of their inherent personality style and to understand how those same traits can turn destructive when taken to extremes. Psychodynamic therapy can help them develop a better relationship with their emotions and use their need for control and perfectionism in a healthier way.

Getting to the Root Causes of OCPD

The causes of OCPD include genetic, environmental, and dynamic factors. These dynamic factors include the strategy the individual unconsciously adopted to cope with their particular combination of inherited traits and family situation. We can refer to these dynamic factors as old tapes, triggers, complexes, schemas, or patterns that they play out unwittingly, as if they were still living in the past with their families.

Attempting to treat the systemic, unconscious, and underlying character organization of OCPD by targeting just its external manifestations may not shift the underlying causes.

For example, some compulsives cope with their anxiety by externalizing, by getting those around them to do what they think should be done so that they feel safer. Other compulsives cope by internalizing, by taking too much responsibility on themselves and becoming people-pleasers to avoid a feared abandonment.

In most cases, people with OCPD feel a great need to prove themselves, and they attempt to do so with perfection, order, and control.  

Whatever the underlying dynamic, a therapeutic experience that gives the individual a chance to identify their specific coping strategy by seeing their old tapes play out in session with a therapist can be very effective. Does the client try to control the therapist? Does the client try to control his own emotions in session? Do they try to prove to the therapist that they are ethically good? This process often requires patiently developing awareness of emotions and the capacity to tolerate them in session, rather than reacting to them by trying to control themselves or the therapist.

The Potential Benefits of Compulsive Personality

If your basic character style is compulsive by nature, you won’t be able to change that. But you can begin to use your natural meticulousness, conscientiousness, and tendency to plan in a healthier, more conscious way that works well for you and the people around you. This can’t happen if efforts to change includes only trying to eradicate symptoms.  

I have referred to anxiety and a need for respect as motivations for the individual with OCPD. But on an even deeper level, they are motivated by a desire to help, plan, and repair in ways that can benefit everyone. Finding that original motivation can equip the OCPD sufferer with insight and direction, which can help them to heal and to be more helpful to those around them.

Footnotes

[1] National Institute of Mental Health website. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd.shtml. Retrieved 12.23.20.

[2] Burkauskas, J. F., Naomi. (2020). History and Epidemiology of OCPD. In J. E. Grant, Anthony Pinto, Samuel Chamberlain (Ed.), Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (pp. 1-16). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing.

[3] Mancebo, M. C., Jane L Eisen, Jon E. Grant, Steven A. Rasmussen (2005). Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Clinical Characteristics, Diagnostic Difficulties, and Treatment. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 17(4), 197-204. doi:10.3109/10401230500295305

[4] Foa, Edna B. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. Jun; 12(2): 199–207.

[5] Pinto, A. (2020). Psychotherapy for OCPD. In A. P. Grant JE, Samuel R. Chamberlain (Ed.), Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (pp. 143-178). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing.

[6] Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98-109. doi:10.1037/a0018378

To find a therapist in your area who can help you work through the concerns in your life, click here.

Girlfriends holding hands on a walkDependency on others is the hallmark characteristic of dependent personality disorder (DPD). This can create problems within relationships, since nearly all adult relationships need a degree of interdependence to be considered healthy. Interdependence, simply put, means the people in the relationship maintain their sense of self while working together to meet each other’s needs as well as their own.

If you live with DPD, you may have an intense and overwhelming need for others to take care of you, so much so that you fear being abandoned or left alone. To avoid the possibility of abandonment, you might find yourself going out of your way to make certain you have the continued support of your romantic partner, family members, or friends. This might cause you to go to great lengths to please them, often by doing things you’d prefer not to do.

This behavior may seem to help you get your needs met, but it often leads to unhealthy or imbalanced relationships. You might end up staying with a partner who isn’t right for you, or even one who’s toxic or takes advantage of you, simply because you don’t want to be alone.

But it is possible to build healthy relationships when you have DPD. Awareness of the condition, and how it affects your interactions with others, is a good first step.

If you live with DPD, you may have an intense and overwhelming need for others to take care of you, so much so that you fear being abandoned or left alone.

What Is Dependent Personality?

In basic terms, dependent personality means you rely on other people to take care of you. You might experience serious distress at the thought of having to do things on your own, because you don’t think you can care for yourself. You might feel helpless or unable to make decisions for yourself—both significant decisions, like the career you choose, and minor decisions, like what you’ll make for dinner.

You might lack well-developed self-esteem and have little confidence in your own abilities. This can contribute to beliefs like, “I can’t do anything myself,” “Someone else can do a better job,” or “If I upset them, they’ll leave me.” Because you need continued support from loved ones, you may withhold normal, healthy responses, like anger, frustration, or disagreement, even if they do something problematic or upsetting.

This condition is diagnosed in adulthood, and only in people who do have the ability to make decisions on their own without excessively depending on others. People sometimes experience dependency as a result of a health condition or other mental health condition, and this isn’t quite the same as DPD. It’s also important to note that people in abusive relationships may display traits that seem similar to those associated with DPD, such as extreme submissiveness or fear of disagreeing with the abuser. If these behaviors only happen in the abusive situation, DPD wouldn’t be diagnosed.

It’s important to understand these characteristics aren’t your fault. Personality disorders are complicated issues that develop from a multitude of factors, and it’s not always easy to recognize there’s something problematic about your behavior. These traits are ingrained—a part of your personality—and they can be difficult to change. But change is possible.

Romantic Relationships and DPD

There’s nothing wrong with consulting your romantic partner about decisions you make, especially those affecting you both. In fact, this is pretty normal (and beneficial) in a healthy relationship. What sets this type of dependency apart from DPD? In a healthy relationship, you don’t wholly depend on your partner. You ask their advice, consider it, then make a decision that works for both of you.

If you have DPD, it may seem natural to turn to your partner for help with decisions, since you may feel incapable of doing anything alone. You might ask them to choose what stores you shop at, what kind of clothing you buy, what you do with your free time, and whether you should go for a promotion. You might harbor your own opinions about these choices, your partner’s behavior, or other issues that pop up in daily life. But because you worry expressing your true feelings will lead to disapproval and withdrawn support from the people who take care of you, you don’t say what you truly feel. This can eventually diminish your sense of self.

If these behaviors resonate with you, it can help to practice making your own decisions in your relationship. A caring partner can support you by:

Many people with DPD end up in relationships with people who take advantage of them. A few signs of abuse include:

A therapist can offer guidance and support if your relationship is abusive.

Parenting and DPD

Having dependent personality means you may not trust yourself to make your own decisions. You believe you can’t function without the help of others. This can contribute to the distorted view that your child is more capable of making decisions for you.

Accordingly, parents living with DPD may overly rely on children to handle tasks or decisions children aren’t emotionally capable of making. This may be more common in situations where you’re a single parent living with DPD and don’t have another person to rely on.

It’s normal for children to have opinions on things like meal planning, where to purchase their clothing, or how to spend free evenings. And children, especially older children, should also contribute around the house and help manage their own schedules and responsibilities. But it’s not healthy for parents to ask children to take care of all household tasks and responsibilities or make decisions about adult responsibilities or social situations.

As a parent, you may have interest in what your child thinks of your romantic partner. But there’s a difference between asking, “What do you think about (Partner’s name)?” and “Should I keep dating (Name) or should we break up?”

Workplace Relationships and DPD

DPD can make workplace interactions challenging, if you struggle to get necessary tasks done on your own. Your coworkers may notice your difficulty with self-starting, and some might consider your continued need for prompting and encouragement troublesome.

Presenting yourself as incapable or needing regular support and assistance to do your work can create challenges, even conflict, in the workplace. If you’re left to work alone, you might believe you can’t complete the task or project successfully and end up not doing it at all. However, you might do fairly well when you have supervision or support from someone else.

Friendships and DPD

If you have DPD, you may notice your friendships follow a pattern similar to your romantic relationships. Your fear of being left alone can play out in ways that make you seem clingy and needy. You may worry disagreeing with friends will result in them no longer caring for you and avoid expressing personal opinions and desires to ensure their continued support.

You might also readily volunteer to help friends out, even when you’d rather not do something (like help them move or clean their house). Because you want them to continue to be there for you, you sacrifice your time, but less-than-ethical friends may take advantage of this trait.

Good friends should be there for each other and support each other in times of need, but true friends should also encourage you and support you in doing things for yourself.

Treatment for Dependent Personality: Does It Get Better?

It’s very difficult to address personality disorders without help from a therapist trained to recognize symptoms and help you work through them effectively. But therapy can always have benefit. Personality disorders can’t be cured, but therapy can help you address behaviors causing problems in your life and learn new ways of relating to others.

Dependent personality treatment can be incredibly beneficial, since it can lead to more fulfilling, healthy relationships. A trained therapist can support you as you work to realize your own capabilities, both when it comes to making decisions and taking care of yourself. Since people with DPD can sometimes transfer feelings of dependency to their therapist, it’s important to work with a therapist experienced in helping people with DPD.

In therapy, you might:

DPD can often occur with other conditions. Childhood illness, attachment issues, or separation anxiety sometimes play a part in its development. But DPD can also factor into the development of concerns like social anxiety or depression. Therapy can help you address symptoms of these conditions, as well.

Healthy relationships should be fairly balanced. Some of the time, you might need more support from your partner than usual, and at other times, they may need more from you. But typically, it’s unhealthy for one person to rely solely on another.

If DPD makes it difficult to develop and maintain healthy relationships with others, the best option is to seek help from a compassionate, supportive therapist. Begin your search today.

References:

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.
  2. Blair, O. (2018, October 23). Dating someone with dependent personality disorder: Balancing support and self-care. Retrieved from https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/blog/dating-someone-with-dependent-personality-disorder-balancing-support-and-self-care
  3. Dependent personality disorder. (2007). Harvard Mental Health Letter. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Dependent_personality_disorder
  4. Dependent personality disorder. (2017, March 30). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9783-dependent-personality-disorder
  5. Maccafferi, G. E., Dunker-Scheuiner, D., De Roten, Y., Despland, J. N., Sachse, R., & Kramer, U. (2019, October 15). Psychotherapy of dependent personality disorder: The relationship of patient-therapist interactions to outcome. Psychiatry. doi: 10.1080/00332747.2019.1675376

Person walking alone in empty spaceAvoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a mental health condition characterized by long-term, persistent social restraint, usually due to feelings of:

People living with this condition often tend to struggle in personal and professional social situations, which can make it difficult to succeed in certain careers or intimate relationships. Even friendships can be affected. Many people with avoidant personalities may become isolated, and this can significantly impact emotional wellness.

Professional support can help people with AVPD cope with these difficult feelings and the social challenges they spark. But as the condition shares some similarities with other mental health concerns, it’s important to arrive at the correct diagnosis before developing a treatment plan. Therapy may not have the same benefit when it doesn’t address the specific challenges of avoidant personality.

Avoidant Personality: What Makes It Different?

Diagnosing AVPD may prove challenging, as this condition can involve traits and symptoms that resemble those of other personality disorders, including dependent and schizoid personality disorders. When these conditions co-occur, one may be missed in diagnosis.

Personality disorders involve deeply entrenched patterns of thought and behavior, characteristics that become part of personality over time.

People with dependent personality disorder (DPD) are also likely to feel inadequate, have greater sensitivity to criticism, and need frequent reassurance from loved ones. This condition can occur along with avoidant personality. Experts suggest this may happen because people living with AVPD tend to develop strong attachments when they become close to someone and may eventually become dependent on those loved ones. DPD is characterized by an extreme need to be taken care of, however, which sets it apart from AVPD.

Schizoid personality disorder may also involve avoidance of social and interpersonal relationships, but people living with this personality disorder tend not to seek out social contact because they don’t desire the company of others. People with AVPD, on the other hand, do want to interact with others and develop relationships. They simply fear rejection, so they avoid doing so until they feel certain they’ll be accepted.

Social anxiety (social phobia) also shares many symptoms with AVPD, so these conditions may be misdiagnosed as each other. They also sometimes co-occur, which can make distinguishing between them even more difficult.

AVPD and social anxiety differ in one important way. Personality disorders involve deeply entrenched patterns of thought and behavior, characteristics that become part of personality over time. The feelings and emotions that occur with personality disorders seem very real to the person experiencing them, even if they don’t represent the truth. For example, a person with AVPD may truly believe in their own inadequacy and doubt any other outcome than their inevitable rejection.

Social anxiety, on the other hand, is a type of anxiety. Feelings of insecurity, worry, and fear may not be any less intense than those experienced by people with a personality disorder, but people with anxiety are far more likely to recognize their feelings as an anxiety response. In other words, people living with social anxiety may realize their fear of social rejection isn’t grounded in reality, and they may have an easier time challenging these anxious thoughts.

A 2015 study looking at 91 adults who had either social anxiety or AVPD found evidence to suggest childhood neglect could increase risk for AVPD. This factor could help explain some key differences between the two conditions.

Avoidant Personality Treatment Options

Personality disorders can improve with treatment. Support from a compassionate therapist can help people with avoidant personality disorder explore any issues causing distress or having a negative impact on their lives and learn how to cope with these challenges.

Possible approaches that may help soothe symptoms of AVPD include:

Therapy

Therapy is the recommended treatment for any personality disorder. Different approaches may have more benefit than others for specific personality disorders. When it comes to AVPD, helpful approaches include:

While therapists may use these approaches less frequently than standard therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), research suggests they can often lead to greater improvement of personality disorder symptoms.

Complementary treatments

Many people living with personality disorders such as AVPD find alternative approaches helpful.

These might include:

These approaches may have benefit for some but may not work well for everyone. Research generally supports them as possibly helpful and not harmful in most cases.

Avoidant Personality and Self-Care

People living with AVPD may want to take steps on their own, outside of therapy, to try and improve symptoms or find relief from emotional distress. It’s common for people struggling with personality disorders, or any mental health issue, to fall back on coping methods that don’t help and might even cause harm.

These coping strategies, such as drinking, drugs, impulsive or reckless behavior, or self-harm, might feel safe, even easy, and they may help manage or relieve pain in the moment. But choosing positive, helpful coping strategies can do more than relieve pain for a short time. These techniques can promote long-term healing and growth.

If a person diagnosed with avoidant personality does not receive treatment, they may continue to experience difficulty forming close relationships with others, leading to isolation and deep feelings of loneliness.

Whether or not you have received a formal diagnosis, therapy can help if you feel you may have symptoms of AVPD. A licensed mental health professional can screen you for AVPD and other similar conditions in order to create the best treatment strategy for you. Find a therapist near me.

References:

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.
  2. Avoidant personality disorder. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/avoidant-personality-disorder
  3. Eikenaes, I., Egeland, J., Hummelen, B., &; Wilberg, T. (2015, March 27). Avoidant personality disorder versus social phobia: The significance of childhood neglect. PloS One, 10(3). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122846
  4. Guina, J. (2018, April 30). The talking cure of avoidant personality disorder: Remission through earned-secure attachment. The American Journal of Psychotherapy, 70(3), 233-342. Retrieved from https://psychotherapy.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.2016.70.3.233
  5. Kvarnstrom, E. (2016, April 6). Avoidant personality disorder goes beyond social anxiety. Retrieved from https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/blog/avoidant-personality-disorder-goes-beyond-social-anxiety
  6. Lampe, L., & Malhi, G. S. (2018, March 8). Avoidant personality disorder: Current insights. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 11, 55-66. Retrieved from doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S121073
  7. Lampe, L., & Sunderland, M. (2015). Social phobia and avoidant personality disorder: Similar but different? Journal of Personality Disorders, 29(1), 115-130. doi: 10.1521/pedi_2013_27_079
  8. Pos, A. E. (2014). Emotion focused therapy for avoidant personality disorder: Pragmatic considerations for working with experientially avoidant clients. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy: On the Cutting Edge of Modern Developments in Psychotherapy, 44(2), 127-139. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-41393-001
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